In the Midst of Storms
by DecemberPaintedWings
Summary: Dorothy Gale has stopped believing in dreams and magic, in a world that is going dark with the shadow of oncoming war.  Can a chance encounter with Professor Marvel help change her mind? *Rated T for mentions of War* One-Shot


**A/N: This was part of a contest on Livejournal. It is set two years after the movie (in 1941) Dorothy is trying to save the farm for her family. World War II is mentioned a few times. The prompt was: **Chance Encounter, **AU: **Allowed, **Crossovers: **Allowed. **Enjoy! **

In the Midst of Storms

Dorothy Gale adjusted her hat nervously as she stood stock till in front of the Kansas City Bank. She had come to apply for the secretary position she'd seen advertised in the newspaper. First the Depression had swept through the farm and ravaged the livelihood of it and then after it was finally over, the War began to encroach on their lives. All the boys in Dorothy's small town had steadily been joining up to "fight for God and country." It was a scary thought that some of them mightn't come home again. With farmhands being scarce, Auntie Em and Uncle Henry getting on in years and money stretching thin, this was the solution that made sense.

There was no point in dwelling on dreams any longer. It was time to be practical and fix the problems in her life with good old-fashioned grit, hard work and plain thinking. The land of color in her dreams didn't exist, of that she was sure. Two years ago she had dreamed of a land where small people sang of wizards, good witches floated in bubbles and cities made of Emerald gleamed in the sunlight. Never since that day had hope asserted itself to her again in such a way. It was actually almost the opposite. In such a world of technology and marvels, war still came to call and poverty was only a breath away from her doorstep. It was time to grasp reality's cold hand once more and finally admit that life was just one long trial, without redemption in sight.

Steeling herself Dorothy prepared to walk up to the beautiful glass doors of the bank and begin her new life. She was stopped by a voice calling from off to her left, "Girlie is that you? Still blazing forth into new lands I see." Turning around, Dorothy gasped at the sorry sight greeting her. It was Professor Marvel, but he looked so much older than he had only two years before! He wasn't wearing his turban, just a regular suit and tie with a cane clasped tightly in his hand. It seemed to be all that was keeping him upright. Oh, the poor man! Dorothy rushed forward to lend him her elbow and he leaned his weight on her, relaxing slightly.

He looked over at her and smiled. Dorothy's face retained a wrinkled forehead, as she worried about this man she had chanced to meet once more. "Well now, I suppose you're doing alright for yourself Girlie. You look as if you've grown up to be a fine lady as it were. Have you seen any crown heads of Europe yet? Now what's the matter? You look a little heartsick!" Having asked his questions and noticing her frown, he gently led her over to the bench in front of the Bank. They settled onto the wooden surface with the sunshine caressing their faces lightly and a breeze ghosting over them.

Seeing no reason to avoid answering him, Dorothy jumped right in to the heart of things. It had been her habit since she'd learned to speak. "Oh Professor Marvel, things are awful! Auntie Em and Uncle Henry have never really recovered the farm from the Depression. The twister didn't help things along one bit and now with the war hired help is hard to come by. I've come to work at the bank. My dreams are over. I've decided to be practical because all dreams have brought me is heartache and misery." With this bitter tale out in the open she began to cry, much as she had at their first meeting of chance. The Professor patted her shoulder and leaned over to reach into his suit pocket.

Pulling out a clear piece of glass in an odd octagonal shape, he placed it in her hand and queried mischievously, a twinkle in his eyes, "What is it you see my child in the crystal that once told Cleopatra her fate?" Dorothy looked down at it for a moment and then turned away. "Nothing, it's blank to me Sir." He opened the hand-clutch she held upon her lap with her money inside it and put the crystal next to a hand mirror Auntie Em had given her. "Of course you see nothing my child; none of us see our own fates. But I can tell this for certain: dreaming gives us glimpses of it. So when you enter the Bank imagine it's the most exciting Palace in this world. Imagine it's your kingdom and you are coming home to rule once more. Just think of something to make it bearable and interesting. The rest will work out in time." Professor Marvel braced his cane against the sidewalk and stood wearily.

"Dorothy Gale it is dreams that save us all in times of great despair be them personal or shared, such as this heavy shadow over our nation's heart. In my many years child I have learned nothing if not that life has surprises you cannot even think to imagine, many of them beautiful. Be it the yellow brick roads or cement ones, they will lead you into a brave new world if you let them. You will find out soon enough." Dorothy was startled from her downcast misery. She had never mentioned the yellow brick road after waking from her dream. She had never told anyone, family or otherwise, about those paths. Looking up, Dorothy meant to ask the Professor what he had meant. But he had vanished into the crowds on the streets surrounding the bench.

Well, that was odd. It's almost as though it was magic, Dorothy thought to herself. She dried her tears with determination and set forth for the bank. She could do this. And maybe just a little bit of dreaming couldn't hurt TOO much. As the doorman winked at her upon entering the bank, she revised that thought to dreams not hurting anything at all.


End file.
